I am a 60-ish married engineer that has dealt with moderate eczema my entire life, primarily through the use of topical steroids. In early 2012 things started going wrong, and this blog is a personal diary of my journey through Topical Steroid Withdrawal, also known as Red Skin Syndrome, Topical Steroid Addiction, or Steroid Induced Eczema. I have been completely free from all steroids since July 9, 2013. Please see www.itsan.org for more info and feel free to post here!

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

September 17, 2013 - A Setback

Today was a follow-up appointment at UT Southwestern with Dr. Vasquez, a resident dermatologist and Dr. Yancey, the Department Chair. I was rather excited about this appointment because I have been improving and I was expecting to be cleared to return to work next Monday.It figures that for some reason (nerves perhaps?) I had a little flare this morning. My skin looked angrier that it has in some time. My body was having trouble again controlling temperature and my legs were a bit swollen. Great. I looked better than I did a week ago but I forgot that the last time I saw the doctors was 2 weeks ago.I explained all this to the doctors but it didn't matter. They saw me as not improving. Here's the bottom line from the doctors:1. My next appointment should be made for 3 MONTHS FROM NOW.2. In the meantime, if I improve, call and come in earlier.3. If worse, I am to go to an emergency room.4. My skin is too severe to receive UV-B light therapy (my insurance has rejected it anyway).5. If I have not improved in 3 months, they will PUT ME BACK ON GOD-DAMNED STEROIDS. I refuse to go back on steroids and I became upset. Bless her heart, my wife got upset too. Things became a bit uncomfortable. Dr. Yancey headed out the door and Dr. Vasquez told me that she needed to get to her next appointment.I asked about my medical leave. I cannot go back to work until I get a doctors approval. She told me that she would consult with Dr. Yancey and call me before the end of the week.We left very frustrated and I have that same feeling of rejection I had from my last dermatologist. I really don't know what to do next.In the meantime I have gotten an ear infection, so right after the appointment at UT Southwestern I called my GP, Dr. Harder. He saw me right away and put me on non-steroidal anti-biotic drops. We had a good talk about my experience today. One thing I really like about Dr. Harder is that he doesn't fake it. Most doctors will never admit ignorance. I told Dr. Harder I am seriously considering traveling to California to see Dr. Rapaport and asked if he would be willing to work with him. His answer was yes and that Dr. Rapaport would have to tell him what to do because this was "way over my head". I realized just now typing this that this is the first doctor I have ever seen with such humility.

"Addiction to (Topical) Steroids is a serious problem which reaches tragic proportions in some cases. It is more common than realized, sly and seductive and will be prevented only when the physician becomes as impressed with the capacity of the steroids to do harm as they are with their power to suppress, not cure, virtually any inflammatory disorder." - Dr. Albert M. Kligman M.D. Ph.D. and Dr. Peter J. Frosch M.D., International Society of Topical Dermatology Journal, 1979